Van Wyk Residence | Klopper & Davis Architects
Located on the family-friendly Griver St, Van Wyk Residence is a two-storey home for a young couple and their children. It features a simple, yet site-sensitive design nestled amongst the mature Peppermint trees & wide, grassy verges of Cottesloe. The home is a light drenched sanctuary, a space where family connect, where long lunches spill out into the garden, where the kids play, mess and create. Inspired by memories of white-washed barns in the South African winelands, a white, two-storey brick gable runs East/West along the southern boundary containing the majority of the accommodation, with a secondary dark single-storey pavilion sitting along the north. Between, a glass box connection divides the outdoor areas in two; a generous backyard & alfresco to the rear and a lush, pool deck to the street.
TL Robertson Library Refurbishment | Hames Sharley and Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects in Association
Originally constructed in 1972, the brutalist TL Robertson Library is Curtin Universitys largest and most historic building. Its refurbishment sought to redefine the purpose of the campus library, shifting away from preserving books towards prioritising social connection and a sense of community.
The library’s collection of books was consolidated and relocated to a high-density compactus system, freeing up space to accommodate a spectrum of learning settings; from social learning on the lower floors to silent study areas on the upper floors. The relocation of services enabled the addition of a new seventh level, with an event space that allows the library to host functions with up to 200 guests.
The previously enclosed building has been redefined to enhance its permeability and accessibility, with more legible entries, open floor plates and light-filled spaces, positioning the library as a beacon at the heart of the campus.
550 Spencer Street – Catching the Sun | Kennon
550 Spencer Street is the first building in Australia to produce energy from its own façade.
Remediating a contaminated former petrol station the new formal composition references the post war modernist commercial architecture in Melbourne wrapped in an Australian first highly technical façade system, 550 Spencer Street is a striking contemporary architecture founded on performative principals controlled with a restrained elegance.
Product innovation is a significant contributor to 550 Spencer and contribution to our building industry. An idea that was developed and processed through an arduous assessment criterion to be deemed fit for purpose to the Australian Code of Construction is now available to the industry wide.
Sensitively addressing the residential interfaces and the existing high street context of Spencer Street, 550 Spencer Street contributes to an exciting emerging mixed use precinct on the city fringe through a dynamic façade considered pedestrian experience.
TERRACE HOUSE MIRAGE | ALCAMI ARCHITECTURE
The walls of this gem hold 150 years of stories frozen in time, now meticulously restored. Unfolding a narrative that defies spatial limits says Victor Alcami, Director of Alcami Architecture.
The fully openable ground floor with sliding panels transforms into an open space haven. A visionary design with outdoor elements inspired by Mediterranean vernacular architecture infuse cultural nostalgia, while elevated mirrors expand the space with an infinite perspective.
A love letter to Victorian terraces, the operable courtyard, a symphony of custom design, breaths fresh air. Sunlight dances, highlighting the natural finishes, while a vibrant orange bathroom promises indulgent selfcare. Sustainability whispers through repurposed materials and repaired walls, ensuring longevity.
Metallic finishes echo Chippendale’s industrial heartbeat, blending Modernism, Japanese seduction, and reminiscences from European interior design. Alcami’s style resonates with transitional mystery, offering an aspirational escape through art and architecture, inviting a desire for more tales from this poetic design journey.
The Friends’ School Redevelopment Project | Bence Mulcahy with H2o Architects
The Friends’ School Major Redevelopment Project included, a gymnasium, adaption of the WN Oats Centre, site accessibility/safety improvements, a major substation, North Block repairs and new outdoor courts.
Approaches driving the project included the establishment of precincts within the campus, small strategic interventions to improve site accessibility and safety, utilisation/adaption of existing buildings, and Quaker values, simplicity, community and environmental stewardship.
Key projects are the WN Oats Centre refurbishment and the Revell Sports Centre.
The WN Oats Centre was adapted to accommodate x7 GLAs, specialist spaces, breakouts, offices, student/staff amenities in a light, robust, flexible and engaging environment.
The Revell Centre includes a gymnasium, offices, community/student amenities and x2 GLAs. Moderated by domestic scaled additions and street level detailing, its scale and siting draws from Carr Street precedents. Setbacks and landscaping tie the building into the campus, and materials strike the balance between utility and context.
Stewart | SSdH
Stewart celebrates the 1970s brown, brickveneer, Brunswick house a quintessential element of Melbournes built character that defines a period within Australias recent history but is yet to be recognised as having heritage value.
The employed strategy focuses on a combination of new elements and light touch design interventions to provide significant impact. Internally, an intentional blending of new and existing conditions leaves viewers questioning where interventions begin and end.
This approach not only preserves the architectural significance and character but also considers the economic and environmental impact, proving that minimal intervention is a valid response in today’s climate. The success of the project opens doors for others by demonstrating the accessibility of thoughtful architecture. This impact extends beyond the immediate project it begins to shape the potential future of surrounding suburbs as they evolve, recognising that their inherent value and ongoing contribution to our city is worth protecting.
Stradbroke Primary School – Early Learning Hub | Das Studio
Located adjacent Morialta Conservation Park in Rostrevor, Stradbroke Primary School incorporates Walker Learning principles to offer an inquiry-based, transdisciplinary, student-centred curriculum. The project brief sought to replace an aged building with learning spaces and nature play for Stradbroke’s Reception students, to align facilities with the forward-thinking pedagogical approach of the School.
Prioritisation of the direct learning outcomes of built form result in a building that acts as a beacon for the possibilities of curiosity, inquiry and play whilst simultaneously connecting to the surrounding built and natural environments in a manner that feels of its place. Siting, planning and materiality all contribute equally to this outcome.
A collaborative relationship between the design team, client and key stakeholders and a creative approach to project problem solving unlocked value that allowed for refurbishment works to adjacent Year 1 spaces, creating an Early Learning Hub for the School that equitably connects the junior cohort.
Square House | Mather Architecture
Square House is an elevated late 60s modernist home situated on a steeply sloping block in Farrer. The aim was to minimise the impact of any additions on the natural environment by creating very minimal extensions that interrupt the perfect square, with a total of 16m2 added to the floor plan. The first pop out for the kitchen area adds space under the existing roofline, while the second, projects further out than the existing roofline, utilising the continuous roof throughtowall properties of longline cladding to create a neat insertion.
New cedar windows provide material warmth and contrast the simple lines of the exterior cladding. Sunshade shrouds on windows to the north and west were added along with stained timber battened garage door, front balustrade, dividing screen, and feature sliding panel. These elements connect the midcentury house with the client’s love of Japanese architecture. The result is a calm, lightfilled home
St Barbara Square Kalgoorlie Central Canopy | iredale pedersen hook architects with ASPECT Studios, ETC Solutions and Terpkos Engineering
St Barbara Square Kalgoorlie transforms rear laneway service and adjacent space into a new “Kalgoorlie Heart”. Kurturtu is a highly activated public space, that pulses with the energy of the region and community, offering facilities and new experiences for all people. The new design carefully stitches together existing access points while weaving in new city connections. This is bound by a collection of site and city specific narratives that reveal the unique qualities of Kalgoorlie – Boulder.
Conceptually, the square brings to the surface the ancient geological formations. The central canopy becomes a place of destination, water becomes a catalyst for play, meeting, and gathering. The central canopy titled; “Hovering Earth” is the lifting of earth to reveal “what lies below”. A golden seam and perforated contours hover precariously above creating awe and delight; sound, misting and lighting activate and invite one to participate and become part of this spectacle.
St Peter’s College Big Quad Rejuvenation | Matthews Architects
Learning is always a process of change, and when we are young it is a process of growing and growing up. This new era of the Big Quad precinct has been shaped to support young people who are going through such changes. The design embraces them within a history and a present that they are a living part of, reminding them that there are futures to be valued and stories to be written. Each space captures the movement of light throughout the day and across seasons, the shifting of the living environment around them and celebrates the passage of time. In this way the design celebrates the continuity of human experience and the valuable connection between past, present and futures.